Rebound *Book Two*

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

"You know your dressage test?" Matt asks me as I zip up my Monaco dress boots and attach my spurs. I stand outside of Rebound's stall as Matt grooms him. Dressage is at 1:10 today.

"Yeah. I am riding the FEI 2009 4* dressage test A." I confidently say to Matt. I have memorized that dressage test inside and out. The test in total should take only about five minutes.

"That is good." Matt says as April hands him my Adelinda dressage saddle, girth, and my favorite Mattes square dressage pad to saddle up. GiGi busies herself by spraying Rebound with a misty coat of Show Sheen, and Matt runs tea tree oil through his thick tail to make it shine. Mom and Dee are out watching dressage and Mark is reading over the dressage test at the table.

I walk over to the tack room to finish getting dressed. A few weeks before Rolex, Mom, Dee, and Mark surprised me with a huge shopping spree at the local tack store. I got to completely pick out new showing outfits for dressage, cross country, and stadium at Rolex. My dressage outfit looks sleek and professional as I look at myself in the full length mirror in the tack room. My Pikeur dressage shadbelly goes perfectly with my spotless FITS full seat white breeches. I adjust my black hair net bow and tighten the chin strap on my custom Charles Owen AYR8 leather helmet with red, white, and blue piping. Mark and I recently had a conversation about wearing a top hat for dressage but I quickly refused. I think that top hats look very nice in dressage but I don't want to risk any possible head injuries. A head injury could seriously injure me or maybe even kill me.

"Time?" I shout, walking out of the tack room over to Rebound's stall.

"Quarter past noon." April says to me, looking at her phone. She glances up at me and so does everyone else in the stall. They all stare at me, wide eyed. "Dude, you look gorgeous." April adds.

I laugh, "Thanks." We are on schedule which is good. I want to be over at warm ups no later than 12:30 so I have a good half an hour to practice before my test.

Matt quickly bridles Rebound in his Vespucci double raised weymouth dressage bridle before walking him outside the stall. In the barn aisle April picks out Rebound's feet, and Drew coats some clear hoof polish on his hooves. Matt runs a rag over Rebound's coat and then puts it in his back pocket. After that, Matt tightens the girth a notch and pulls down the stirrups. Mark walks over to us and gives me a leg up.

Mark takes my left leg in his hands. "One, two, three." On three he boosts me up into the saddle and sets me down lightly. I put my feet in the stirrups and give Rebound a quick pat, lacing my hands around the two sets of reins.

"Matt and I will go to warm ups with you. GiGi, April, and Drew will be taking the golf cart over to watch with your mom and Dee." Mark says to me, patting my leg."

"Good luck!" April, GiGi, and Drew shout to me as they climb in the golf cart and drive off towards Rolex arena for dressage.

Once they are out of sight, we start making our way over to schooling ring near the dressage arena for warm ups. Mark walks on my left side, talking about yesterdays results, and Matt walks quietly next to him.

"After day one in dressage Andrew Nicholson sits in first on Calico Joe, Becky Holder sits in second on Can't Fire Me, and Shandiss McDonald sits in third on Rockfield Grant Juan. Now, those results can and will change after the second day of dressage is finished."

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"Come on, Alison!" Mark barks at me in the warm up arena. "In that last half pass Rebound's inside hind leg was not as engaged as it should have been. And his outside hind leg wasn't well under his body. Because of this he couldn't get himself as forward and as sideways as he should have been. Keep an active outside leg to keep him stepping forward and under and maintain the left bend throughout the movement with your inside rein and inside seat bone. Ride the half pass to the left again."

I let out a sigh and squeeze Rebound lightly. He bounces forward in a nice forward trot. Mark has been really picky throughout warmups, calling me out on even the littlest things. I need to get this half pass to the left correctly this time because I am on deck for dressage.

Just like Mark told me, I keep an active outside leg slightly behind the neutral position, asking Rebound to step forward and under, and I use my inside leg to keep him forward. I keep a steady contact on the outside rein and use my inside seat bone to keep Rebound on the correct bend, while using my inside rein to guide his forehand in the direction of the movement.

"Excellent, Ali. Come over to me." Mark shouts to me. I slow Rebound to a walk and let the reins slip through my fingers out onto the buckle, giving him a big pat. I stop Rebound next to Mark.

"That time was a lot better. I liked how forward Rebound was, but I think you can get an 8 or a 9 if you get him a little more forward. Okay?"

"Okay." I respond back.

"Ali I want you to know that no matter what happens today I am extremely proud of you. Think of this competition as a baby step into professional riding." Mark smiles at me. "And breath. Alright?" He lets out light chuckle.

I take a deep breath.

"Number 16, Allison Michels and Back In Action you are up next. Start walking towards the ring now, please." The ring steward says to me.

I close my eyes and block out the commotion around me. I don't think about the fact that it took me four times to get my half pass correctly today, or the nerves errupting inside of me. I think about Rebound. I think about the horse that has sent my life on a crazy roller coaster that is finally starting to pay off. I whisper to Rebound, "It is just you and me."

I finally open my eyes and get shot back into the chaotic reality around me. With one more deep breath, we make our way to the arena

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Hey my wonderful readers! This chapter was pretty messy but thats ok. I am looking forward to keep writing! Thanks for reading